Rangers ride bullpen game to victory for second time this week

ARLINGTON -- There has never been a combined perfect game in MLB history. That didn’t change on Friday, with the Rangers starting Shawn Armstrong on the mound to kick off the bullpen day. But it was fun to think about for a bit.

The Rangers’ bullpen duo of Armstrong and Jacob Webb opened the matchup against the White Sox with 4 2/3 perfect innings. Webb was a half-step away from a perfect fifth, but Luis Robert Jr.’s groundout was overturned to an infield single upon review for Chicago’s first hit of the day.

Texas ultimately won, 3-1, to open the series against the Sox, marking the bullpen day as a success on the backs of Armstrong, Webb, Luke Jackson, Hoby Milner, Chris Martin, Cole Winn and Robert Garcia.

“I’m very routine oriented,” Armstrong said of starting the bullpen game. “I try not to change much and stick to the same routine as it is. It's the same game. For us right now, every inning matters, whatever the circumstances.

“I've said since I've been here, and I think every reliever in here, we don't care when we throw, we just want to win. Just an outstanding job by the bullpen today. It was a lot of fun.”

Armstrong posted three perfect innings in his first start of the season (17th of his career), tying career highs with three innings and five strikeouts. Over his 17 starts, Armstrong has a 1.04 ERA (four earned runs in 34 2/3 innings).

“I hated taking him out because he was throwing so well,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “He was comfortable starting that game. He was locked in, he was focused and he was exactly what we wanted.”

The Rangers’ pitching as a whole has been a strength all season. But the rotation has -- rightfully -- gotten much of the publicity, with a 3.03 ERA that is second in the American League.

The bullpen has been just as good of late.

The Rangers’ bullpen has allowed just three earned runs over the past six games, a span of 25 innings for a 1.08 ERA. The collective group has allowed two runs or fewer in 22 of the past 23 games dating back to May 17, lowering the unit's ERA from 3.97 to 3.41, good for third best in the AL this season.

“The majority of our guys are journeymen,” Armstrong said. “We've done a lot of work to get where we are today. It's due diligence to just go out there and take the ball.

“Talking to [bullpen coach Jordan Tiegs], we knew we're going to have a bullpen day here. Our start has been absolutely outrageous. They're coming off some surgeries and stuff like that. They need a blow every now and then. They've done an outstanding job all year long. And again, it's our job to take care of the ball.”

With Nathan Eovaldi continuing to work his way back from a triceps injury and Kumar Rocker getting a reset with Triple-A Round Rock, the Rangers have been trying to fill innings. Over the past week, Bochy has turned to bullpen games in Eovaldi’s spot in the rotation.

Though there’s not a perfect way to quantify the success of bullpen days league-wide, the Rangers have now won two in the past six days, dating back to last Sunday in Washington, D.C., when Texas closed out a series against the Nationals with a bullpen game victory. The Rangers allowed just three runs between the two bullpen games.

That doesn’t usually happen. The Rangers couldn’t have scripted these two games any better.

“It's a good bullpen,” Bochy said. “I think they've done a good job all year. Guys have been moved into roles, but they don't care how it gets done, because it gets done. They're doing what they can to help win a ball game. They did a good job with that.”